About this Site

Emilie Davis was an African-American woman living in Philadelphia during the U.S. Civil War. This website is a transcription of Emilie’s three pocket diaries for the years 1863, 1864, and 1865. In them, she recounts black Philadelphians’ celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation, nervous excitement during the battle of Gettysburg, and their collective mourning of President Lincoln. The diary allows readers to experience the war in real time, as events unfolded for Civil War Americans. Read More...

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December 8-10, 1864

December, THURSDAY, 8, 1864.

quite Cold and windy I went down to mr livelys but he was so fatigued he Could not give me a lesson i went to mrs offerts to […] and […] i cam

FRIDAY, 9.

home about eight i only was out in the afternoon yesterday vincent spent the evening with me he comes very to reagular but there is no understanding between us Alfred was up this afternoon

SATURDAY, 10.

we had quite a snow storm last night but it will he gone when the sun makes his appearance Nell was up here this evening it was so disagreeble i did not go Down